Do you give to bums?

[Animeniax]

It depends.. I don't like pushy ones who comes to you asking for every single cents you have on you. But if it a elderly/handicapped, I may give some money.

Though I rarely see any.. And the last one I saw.. wasn't really on the bright side.
This happened 2 weeks ago, lets call the bum "Bob".
Bob thought about doing a good deed and decided to clean the floor inside a Metro waggon. Problem is, he was doing it with some dirty rags that may have been socks one day and his spit. I don't know what was going on in his head, but that's just pass beyond stupidity. I would never give any cents to someone like Bob.

See that's what I felt too when I saw this bum last night. I was thinking, if he comes over and demands shit, I won't give him anything, because who is he to demand shit from me? But then I thought, how fair is it to put my judgments on him? Whatever has happened in his life to make him this way probably rendered normal social conventions meaningless, like showering regularly and not sleeping on the sidewalk. None of that matters to a bum anymore, he just wants to eat, maybe get his fix, and not die (I imagine). I don't think there's a "proper" way to beg. It's a little silly that we'll help only if we think they are a "good bum", as if there is such a thing.

[masamuneehs]

i usually do. i know they are probably in it to buy drugs or booze or whatever, but, honestly, is it really any of my business what they use it on?

I'll never forget one time I gave a homeless guy half of my sandwich while on the way back from a lunch break. He was just pretty pitiful on the sidewalk with a cup, so I gave him the sandwich. A few steps later I'm shocked, as the sandwich suddenly hits me in the back. I look back (others were staring too) and the guy mumbles something that sounded like "If I wanted food I'd ask for it". So, yeah, unless I actually get into a conversation with a bum who I won't give money to and he says he just wants to buy something to eat, I don't give them food anymore...

[Assertn]

i usually do. i know they are probably in it to buy drugs or booze or whatever, but, honestly, is it really any of my business what they use it on?

perhaps you should try that rationalization on pigeons and see what happens.

[XanBcoo]

This one guy I always see at this intersection has a sign: "Why Lie? I need a beer"

He's also got it in Spanish. He does not discriminate.

Edito: What? Pigeons??